Our Nemesis Car: Duesenberg Model J

1931 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Coupe at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automotive Museum

by Nancy DeWitt
© Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum


I'm biased, but our TripAdvisor reviews back me up: we have a very, very nice assemblage of automobiles in our museum. There is one hole in the collection, however, and our attempts to fill it have been repeatedly thwarted. That spot is reserved for a Duesenberg Model J.

1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton at the Gilmore Museum

Introduced in December of 1928, the Duesenberg Model J was a luxury car designed to compete with European royalty like Hispano-Suiza, Rolls Royce, and Isotta-Fraschini. A technical marvel, it had the most powerful engine of its day and often carried the most elegant coachwork available. Its combination of visual beauty and mechanical superiority make the Model J a perfect fit for our museum's mission; that is, to showcase some of the most important and interesting technological and design advances in American automobile development prior to World War II.

Despite years of searching, we haven't yet found the right Duesenberg Model J for our museum. If you know of someone who is ready to part with theirs and would like to see it displayed in a museum (and driven!), please put them in touch with us.

In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy the Duesenbergs on display in other museums around the country.

Duesenberg Model J in the Bruce Meyer Collection

1931 Model J Convertible Victoria at the Henry Ford

1931 Model J Murphy Convertible Sedan at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automotive Museum

Coming to Fairbanks to see the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum and other area attractions? Support the museum by staying right here at Wedgewood Resort. All guests receive half-price admission to the museum!